ISLAMABAD: Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists have planned an assassination attempt on former president Pervez Musharraf, the Interior Ministry said in a letter Monday, prompting media speculation that the former military ruler may not appear in court on Tuesday.
In the letter sent to the Home Secretary Punjab, the Islamabad police chief, the chief commissioner and other officials, the Interior Ministry warns that terrorists affiliated with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Al Qaeda have planned to target General (R) Pervez Musharaf in the near future.
According to the letter, a copy of which is available with DawnNews, the ministry warns that the attackers have planned to assassinate Musharraf inside or outside the court. The ministry advises extreme vigilance and fool-proof security measures be taken to avoid any untoward incident.
Media reports on Monday quoted Musharraf’s lawyer Ahmed Raza Kasuri as saying that his client would not appear before the special court on Tuesday until he is provided fool-proof security.
The former military’s chief’s lawyers have previously warned the court that terrorists have been planning to kill judges and Musharraf’s lawyers
“I have received some information that terrorists are planning to assassinate the honourable judges (of the Special Court), two defence lawyers and a prosecutor,” Musharraf’s lawyer Rana Ijaz told the court last week.
The special court set up to try the retired military general for treason has summoned him on March 11 for indictment. The court has previously rejected a request by Musharraf’s lawyers to postpone the hearing.
The interior ministry’s letter comes less than a week after a bloody gun and bomb attack on the district courts in Islamabad left 11 people, including a district and sessions judge, dead and 29 injured.
The attack last Tuesday was the first time a judge was killed in a terrorist rampage inside a Pakistani courtroom.